Device for maintaining different temperatures in refrigerators



C. MILLMAN DEVICE FOR MAINTAINING DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES IN REFRIGERATORS :1A By July 7, 1953 Filed Jan. 4. 519550 DEVICE FOR MAINTAINING DIFFERENT TEMPERA'LURESl IN REFRIGERATORS July;v 7, 195.3 E c. MILLMAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4. 195o im i HM. 2.

Patented July 7, `1953? tiene orifice DEVICE FOR MAINTAINING DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES IN REFRIGERATORS Clinton Millman, Greenville, Mich.

Application January 4, 1950, Serial No. 136,743

9 Claims. (Gl. (i2-103) ferent temperatures in refrigerated compart-V ments.

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide a refrigerated cabinet in which sections are maintained at two different temperatures from a single evaporator.

Another object is to provide such a cabinet wherein the relative temperatures of the two compartments may be controlled.

Another object is to provide an evaporator in a refrigerated cabinet which may beconveniently defrosted without the defrost water going all over the cabinet.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the specification, the appended claims and drawings in which drawings; y

Figure l is a front view, with Vthe door open, rof a refrigerator embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. l and showing the baffle arrangement by which the relative temperatures in two portions of the cabinet are controlled;

Fig. 3 is a fractional perspective view looking upwardly at the baflie arrangement; o

Fig, 4 is a view taken substantially along the line #2 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the baiiies in a different position;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the baffles shown in Fig. 2;.

Fig. 7 is a view of a modified form of invention in which the relative positions of the baffles are automatically controlled to'maintain a desired temperature in the compartment cooled by the air passing through the bales; and

Fig. 8 is a View taken substantially along the line l3 8 of Fig. '7.

Present day demands of housewives require a refrigerator which willk maintain frozen foods properly frozen at a low temperature and also maintain other foods refrigerated at temperatures slightly above freezing temperatures. if such units are to be provided at a price which is attractive to home owners; they should be operated from a single condensing unit and from a single evaporator. Cabinets of this type which have been placed on the market are operated either from two evaporators in which a pressure difference is maintained therebetween by special 2 devices to cause them to operate at diferentternperatures or if from a single evaporator, the inside of the evaporator is used as the low tempera-s ture storage compartment.

The use of two evaporators involves a more or less complicated evaporating system'in order to maintain the proper pressure and temperature differences between the two evaporators. kWhen a single evaporator is used it must be relatively small so that it will not act to cool the nonfrozen storage compartment of the refrigerator below a desired temperature and thereby freeze up the foods or other comestibles stored in the non frozen compartment. Various schemes have been tried for enlarging the internal storage capacity of the evaporator but these have no t been completely successful since the difference in temperature between the two compartments was too widely variable as a function of change inthe ambient temperature surrounding the cabinet.

My invention generically contemplates the use of a frozen storage compartment of any desired size'which is directly cooled by theY refrigerant and a nonfrozen storage compartment which is cooled by circulating air cooled by the refrigerant and in which the rate of circulation is restricted to that necessary to maintain the desired temperature in the nonfrozen storage compartment. In its more specific form, the invention provides for inserting a two part baie structure between an evaporator dening a frozen storage compartment in the top portion of a cabinet and the nonfrozen storage space in the lower portion of the cabinet. The baffle asvshown comprises two in-v terfitting and relatively movable members provided with spaced louvers or apertures separated by sloping imperforate wall sections. 'I'he apertures or louvers are relatively spaced in the two members so that upon relative movement of the members, the apertures of the members may all be brought into alignment for relatively unrestricted flow of air through the baille or out of alignment for restricted flow of air therethrough and ,for preventing defrost water from falling into the nonfrozen storage compartment.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral l indicates generally a refrigerator cabinet having a door 2 for opening and closing an access opening 4 whereby comestibles may be placed within and removed from the cabinet I. The cabinet i comprises the usual outer and inner shells 5 and 8, the space between which may be lled with an insulating material, not shown. A suitable throat covering or breaker strip |.0 is provided to closethe space between the shell or liner and outer wall 5 so that the cabinet will have a pleasing appearance. The lower portion of the liner S defines nonfreezing refrigerated storage portion i2. An evaporator It deiining a freezing storage portion is positioned within the upper portion of the shell 8 and comprises a five sided rectangular box provided with an access door IE for closing the open front and which door may be. hinged as at I3 adjacent its lower edge portion to the shell 8. One or more of the ve walls. may have in heat exchange relation therewith refrigerant containing reservoirs or passageways in which evaporating liquid refrigerant is contained for extracting heat from.

the interior of the cabinet l. Such passageways may be conveniently provided byy a length of sinuously arranged tubing 22Y which is suitably secured in heat exchange relation to the evaporator walls as by soldering, brazing, or otherwise..

One end of this tubing 22 is connected to a refrigerating condensing unit. through any usual flow controlling device in theA usual manner whereby a controlled flow of liquid refrigerant is supplied to the tubingI 22 wherein it is vaporized thereby absorbing heat` from the, evaporator l. The other end of the tubing 22 is, connected to the condensing unitV whereby the vapor is returned to the condensing unit for condensation and a subsequent recirculation.

A usual thermostat 2 2l carried in the upper breaker strip section IE! has a temperature responsive element not shown responsive to the temperature of the upper evaporator lil or to the interior temperature thereof whichever may be desired and acts to stop andstart the condensing unit not shown in order to maintain the evaporator l; atthe desired temperature.

A pair of baffle members or plates 25 and 28 are arranged substantially horizontally of they cabinet l below the evaporator M. but tilt slightly rearwardly for a purpose to, be set forth more clearly hereinafter. The. front. edge portion of thebottom wall 2U of the. evaporator Mrearwardly of the door lois downturned and reversely bent to provide, a pocket 29 for receiving a downturned lip E@ of the lower baiile plate 2S. Thebame plate 2SY comprises asheet of material whichi has been formed to provide a series of parallelly raised portions or crests extending substantially completely from front to back of the plate 26 and separated by parallel troughs 32. The raised portions have longitudinal apertures 34 which extend substantially completely throughout the lengths of the crestsV 33. The ballie plate 26 has-a peripheral flange 3E extending substantially completelyV therearound. The portion Sii or the flange 36 along thej front edge of they baffle plate 2G, extends upwardly beyond the rest of theV flange 36. and is partially rebent upon itself to provide the lip 3G.

The side walls ofthe liner 8 adjacentV the rear wall thereof are provided with outwardly extending abutments itl which underlie and serve to support a rear portion of the lower baffle plate 26. Preferably the abutments 4S are located vertically with respect to the pocket 29 so that when the lower baille plate 26 is resting in the pocket and on the abutments 42; the rear edge portion of the baille plate 26 is slightly lower than the front portion so that any water collecting in the troughs or channels 32 will flow to the rearward portion of the baliie plate 26 and flow therefrom through an outlet 42 into a suitable container (not shown) which may be placed below this outlet 42, or; if desired, the outlet-42 may be con- '4 nected by means of a conduit member (not shown) and discharged externally of the refrigerator. This exterior discharge may be either into a container placed for the purpose, a conveniently located drain, or, if desired, may be conducted to the condensing unit, the heat of which will serve to vaporize this water into the surrounding atmosphere.

An upper baiile memberV 28 is provided with downturned side nanges 52 and downturned diagonally extending rear and front flanges 54 and 53. The flanges 54 and 52 are adapted to rest onthebottom ofbalile plate 25 adjacent the front andrear portions of the peripheral flange 36 to position the upper balile member 28 for sideways sliding' movement of the member or plate 28 relativev to the lower baille plate or member 25. The upper baffle member 23 is of less width than the lower baffle member 26 whereby it may be moved sideways by means of the handle 53 to control flow of air therethrough and to properly direct thev defrost water from the evaporator I4.

The upper ballle member 2S is provided with a series or depressed troughs or valleys ci! which are apertured as at 52Y and which extend parallel with each other and are equally spaced with the crests of the plate 25'. In one position of the upper baiiie member 28 the apertures 62 overlie the apertures 34 of the lower baie member 22 as shown in Fie. l to permit a high rate of air circulation from the evaporator ld to the lower compartment l2. When the upper battle member 2 8 is in its other position the apertures 82 overlie the channels 32 whereby only restricted air iiow will be possible4 from the evaporator i4 to the lower storage. compartment l2. rlhis position of the baliies is shown in Fig. 5 and is the position toV which the baiiies are movedV during defrosting oi the evaporator i4.

The dimensions, of the baiiie members 26 and 2,8. are, preferably sov chosen withA respect to the cross sectional area of the liner 8 at this locaticnto provide an upflow air passageway 64 between the two opposite sidewalls and the rear wall of the liner 8, and the baiile members 26 and 28. In this manner air from the compartment. l2 which will of course be warmer adjacent the walls of the liner 8 flows upwardly through the passageway 64 into heat exchange relation with the evaporator lll and then i'lows downwardly through the apertures 34 and 62 to cool the compartment l2. The ratey of such circulation will be determinedl by the: resistance offered by the members 25 and 28 which is V-ariable depending upon the. degree of alignment of the apertures 34 and 62.

Ity will be seen that with the baille members 26 and 28 positionedas shownin Fig. 5, as the frost on the evaporator melts and drips in the formof water onto thev upper bafe` member 28 it will now froml the apertures 62 in the Valleys 6D downwardly through the apertures S2 and into the channels or valle-ys 32 along the channels 32 to the rear portion ofV the-baille member 2S and outwardly through the drain opening 42. Since the evaporator I4 is, during operation, maintained at a temperature substantially below 32 F. to hold the freezing compartment low, defrosting will occur only whe-n desired and the baflie members 2.6 and 28 may at these instances be,

moved to thedefrosting position shown in Fig. 5.

During normal operation of the refrigeration apparatus the control 24 is turned to maintain the. desired temperature within the evaporator i4 and the upper baiiie member 28 is positioned relative to the lower'baiile 'member '26to provide for the proper rate oi air flow from the evapora-= tor I4 into the lower compartment I2 whereby the lower compartment is maintained at the de sired temperature. If the temperature oi the evaporator i4 is lowered it may be necessary to restrict air flow through the baffle members 26 and ZB so that the temperature in the space is not brought belo-w the desired temperature. versely as the temperature of the evaporator I4 is raised, it ma-y be necessary to permit a greater flow of air through the barile members 2e and 28 by moving the member 28 in a direction from the position shown in Fig. 5 toward that shown in Fig. 4. Since the heat leakage outwardly from the compartment I2 will vary as the difference between the temperature of the compartment I2 and the Yambient temperatures surrounding the cabinet I, it may be necessary to occasionally adjust the relative position of the baffle members 26 and 23j Such an adjustment will most likely be necessary only if excessive changes in ambient temperature occur. l

Referring to Fig. '7 and Fig. 8 there is shown therein an automatic arrangement for yadjustably positioning theupper baiile member 28 in accordance with ytemperatures existing in the compartment I2. This apparatus comprises a sealed pressure system comprising a conduit 30 connected at the one end with a bulb 32 containing a quantity oi temperature sensitive duid and having its other end connected to a bellows member 84. One end of the member 8d is iixedly Vsecuredas by a bracket 86 and its other end comprises a movable wall S8, the position of which will vary in accordance with the pressure communicated to the bellows member from the bulb 82. The movable wall 88 is pivotally connected to a lever arml 9o fulcrumed on a pin S2 and extending into operative engagement with a downn turned arm 94 which maybe the handle 58 or a separate arm provided for this purpose. MoVement of the arm Sii by the bellows member M is Opposed by a spring i345 and provides a substantially iixed position of the lever 9!! for a given pressure within the bellows member t4. ThisI relationshipbetween pressure in the bellows member dll as reflected by the bulb 32 and the position of the arm 9d may be controlled by means of an adjusting screw 93 which acts to space l2 decreases, the pressure inthe bello-ws member 34 will decrease and the spring 96 will rotate the lever counterclockwise (Fig. 8) and move the top baille member 2B to the left. Move`- ment of the baille member 28 toward the right from the position shown in Fig. 5 toward that shown in Fig. 4 permits more and more ow of cooling air from the evaporator Iii to the compartment l2 while left movement of the upper baffle member 26 from the position of Fig.` 4 toward the position of Fig. 5 acts to decrease the flow of air from the evaporator ill to the compartment I2. The apparatus shown in Fig. 8 is therefore operable to automatically control the position of the upper baille member 28 to provide for a substantially constant temperature within the compartment I2. For defrosting purposes the pin` 92 could be removable to permit manual movement' oi tlieI-baiile membersto the positions shown in Fig. 5. If desired a hook or other stop member could be used to hold the member 23 against the force of the'bellows member Bil.

The bottom wall 26 of the evaporator I4 is provided with onefor more drain holes I which overlie the baiiie members 26 and 28 and permit flow of defrosting Water outwardly of the ev-apm orator I4 during a defrosting operation to. pass downwardly on the baie member and then through the drain hole 42. The Vbottom wall 2i) of the evaporator also slopes downwardly toward the rear of the cabinet so that any defrost water which collects within the evaporator will flow outwardly through the apertures Iilil rather than outwardly through the front access opening.

What is claimed and is desired to be secured by United States Letters l.-"atentr is as follows:

i. In a refrigerator, a cabinet having vertical walls defining a storage space, an evaporator in. the upper portion of said space and `havinga downwardly ,depending upturned hoolrlike ele` ment, a first baille extending transversely of said walls and comprising a member having a bottom. wall surrounded by a peripheral ange extending upwardly'V above the plane of said bottom wall, one portion of said flange having a downturned hooklike portion receivable within said element to support said rst baiiie, a secondbaiile comH prising a top Wall having spaced downturned l portions seating on said rst baiiie and support- -wall being apertured at at least some of .said

crests, saidl top wall being movable relative to said bottom wall and having an aperture aligned with said bottom wall aperture when said meme bers are Ain a nrst relative position and disaligned when said members are in a second relative position.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said cabinet is provided with anaccess opening, said ange hooklike portion is located adjacent said access opening, the longitudinal axes oi said crests and valleys extend rearwardly -of said cabinet from said opening, and said valleys slope rearwardly of said cabinet.

3. In a structure of the character described, a iirst baffle comprising a member having a bottom wall surrounded by a peripheral ange extending upwardly from said bottom wall, one portion ci said flange having a downturned hooklike portion receivable within said'element to support a supporting first baiile, a second bafe com prising atop wall having spaced downturned portions seating on said rst bailie and supporting said top wall in spaced relation to and above said bottom wall, said bottom wall being undulated to provide crests and valleys, said bottom wall being apertured at at least some of said crests, said top wall being movable relative to said bottom wall and having an aperture aligned with said bottom wall aperture when said members are in a rst relative position and disaligned when said members are in a second relative position.

andere ports'carried in fixed-i position within' said-V cabinet adjacent said rear wall; a bafIie-structurecom-s prisingzrst and second'baffie members, said rst member beingpanlike and having-a bottom wall with an upwardly: extending peripheralside wall about the entire periphery of said bottom wall, a portion of said peripheral Wall having a downturned lip receivablein said hook member to support theforward portion of said structure, said rst baffle member extending toward said rear wall into overlying relationship with said supports whereby the-rearward portion of said baffle structure is supported in said cabinet, saidV second baie member having spaced portionsl extending downwardly: therefrom for sliding engagement on said first baiiie whereby said second baflie member is` supported' by. said first baie member, each said baiile member having an aperture therethrough, said bafemembers being relatively movablewhereby said apertures maybe brought'toward and away from registering positions, the peripheral portions ofj said iirstV baiiie aperture being spaced'upwardlyfrom said bottom wall.

5. In a refrigerator, a cabinet having vertical walls defining rear and' side walls of aV storage space, a movable closuredening the front wall of said cabinet, an evaporator located in the upper portion of said space and having a bottom wall, an upturned hook member held in fixed position in said cabinet and positioned below said bottom wall and adjacent said front wall, supports carried in fixed position on said side walls adjacent said rear wall, a baille4 structure comprising-rstand second bafemembers, said first baie-memberbeingpanlike and having a bottom wall with an upwardly extendingfperipheral side wall about the entire periphery of said bottom wall, a portionof; said peripheral Wall having a downturned lip receivable in saidhook member to support the forward portion of said structure, said first baffle-,member extending toward said rear Wall into overlying relationship with said supportsl whereby the rearward portionY of said baiiie structure is; supported in said cabinet, said secondbale member having spaced portions extendingV downwardly therefromv for sliding engagement on said first bafilebottomwall whereby said second baffle member is supported by said rst'baie member, each said bafe member having an aperture therethrough, said baiiiemembers being relatively movable whereby said apertures may bebrought'toward and away from registering positions, the peripheral portions of said first baffle aperturebeing spaced upwardly from said bottomwall and those ofsaid secondl baiiie aperture being spacetli downwardly frornrsaidrtop wall.

6. In a bailie structure, a; first" baiile member comprising a bottom wall; having an upstanding sideY wall extending completely aboutv the pe,-A

riphery o f'saidbottomwall, asecondbaffle member comprising a top wall and spaced downwardly extending supports seating on said bottom wall for supporting said top wall in elevated relation to said bottom wall, said` bottom wall being un- ,Y

dulated to provide crests and valleys, said crests being of less height than the spacing between said member wallsyat least some of said crests being apertured, said members being relatively movable, said top wallbeing apertured such that atY onef relativef-- position oi.F said mem-bers said apertures are;v aligned and' at-v a second relative position of'v said membersfsaid' apertures are disaligned.

7. In astructureof;theeharacter'described, a

Vpair of undulated members providing crests and valleys, said crests` and valleys of one of said members. being equally spaced with said crests and valleys ofthe other of said members, at least some of said crests ofA said one member being apertured` and atleast -some'of said valleys of said other member being apertured, said one member'being provided with a peripheralV ange extending upwardly 'above .said one member val;- leys, said'other member being provided with tabs .seatingv` on the bottom wall of said one member adjacent portions of 'said' angefor supporting said membersM for guided" relative movement.

81. In aistructure of'ithecharacter described, a pair ofIv undulated members providing spaced crests and valleys; one of said members being provided with spaced-'downwardly extendingsupports, the other of said members being provided with means. for receiving-said supports and cooperable with saidsupports to support said members for limited'y relative movement thereof, at least some-of said crests. of'said other member and at least some ofA said valleys of said one meme ber being apertured,L said other member further including a ashboardi-likexportion extending up,- wardly therefrom, said other member having means positioned belowr the top surfacev of said flashboard-like: portion for collecting liquids which may accumulate insaid other member valleys.

9. In a structure of-thecharaoter described, a pair of' undulated members: providing spaced crests and valleys', onefof, saidj members being provided with spacedy downwardly extending supports, the otherof` saidl members being provided with means' for receiving'said, supports and cofoperable with said supports to support said members whereby the bottom` surfaces of said one member valleys arezspaced abovethe top surfaces of'said otherfmember. crests to permit relative movement of said members without engagement of said crests and said valleys, at least some of said crestsY of saidv other member and at leastv some of said valleys of said one member being apertured, said` other member further including a flashboard-like portion extending upwardly therefrom, said other member having means positioned below the top surface of said flashboard-like portion; for collecting liquids :Y which may accumulatel in said other member valleys;

CLINTON MILLMAN.

References Cited. inthe iileof this patent UNITEDI STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 542,915 Banderob July 16, 1895 2,116,389 Fiene May 3, 1938 2,183,868 -Kavan Dec. 19, 1939 2,244,900 Starr June 10, 1941 2,331,560' Maniscalco Oct. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 510,357` Great Britain July 31, 1939' 

